Monday, March 15, 2010

Micro-radio continues to perform a great service to many people and in some areas the only station with local content will the the so-called “pirate” station. Operations like Clear Channel have done such a bad job of serving the public they deserve to get their licenses pulled. Every now and then these mega-stations have to renew their licenses and that’s when you will hear these boring announcements about soliciting comments from the listeners. That is your time to act. Write to these stations and tell them what a lousy job they are doing. It may not force them off the air, but it does go on their “permanent record”. Meanwhile, more and more people have started up a micro-station in their area and they deserve your support. We need a free press to keep the politicians on their toes. Here in Berkeley, our local free weekly, the Berkeley Daily Planet, was forced to stop publishing due to strained finances. It didn’t help that their payroll company made off with a wad of their money and the local zionist fanatics organized an intimidation campaign toward their advertisers. The result is that Berkeley, the home of the so-called free speech movement has lost a voice of reason and debate. Still we continue to speak our minds at Berkeley Liberation Radio and we hope you will support us always.

-Paul Griffin (for the AMPB)

STATION ALERT

Pirate radio still playing in Erie

By DAVID BRUCE

One of Erie's radio pirates is broadcasting again, even though the federal government has ordered him to shut down his illegal station. Marshall Jones, 524 W. 17th St., was cited Feb. 2 by the Federal Communications Commission for having an unlicensed radio station. Shawn McKines, 908 Parade St., was also cited that day by the FCC.McKines has stopped broadcasting at 89.5 FM, but Jones continues to intermittently play soul, reggae and gospel music at 90.1 FM. "I'm only broadcasting at the legal limits for a low-power station," said Jones, 40. "As long as I'm legal, I'm fine."

That's not true, FCC spokesman Peter Doyle said. Operating a low-power station requires prior approval from the FCC. Jones said he has not sought approval because the FCC hasn't accepted applications for low-power radio licenses since 2001. He might not be permitted to ever have a low-power license, Doyle said. "Congress has passed legislation stating that anyone who has received a notice of unlicensed operation is banned for life from owning a low-power radio station," Doyle said. "Though they can own a full-power station." Besides not being allowed to ever own a low-power radio station, Jones and McKines each face fines, imprisonment and confiscation of their broadcasting equipment. A club disc jockey and former announcer at Gannon University's WERG-FM, Jones said that he started broadcasting in October because there wasn't enough urban music being played in Erie. "Blacks, whites, Hispanics all had a major concern about the type of music played in Erie 24/7," Jones said. "It was my mission to get this station up and running." Jones said that he started broadcasting at the low-frequency limits, then increased power. "The response from people was so strong that I just turned it up," Jones said. "Then someone ratted me out to the FCC." One problem was that Jones' signal was intruding on the signals of other, licensed, radio stations, said A.J. Miceli. An FCC resident agent from Buffalo visited Erie on Jan. 27 and determined that Jones' radio signal far exceeded the limits for nonlicensed devices. The station's music could be heard in various parts of Erie. "I gave the people what they wanted," Jones said. "The response was overwhelming."Doyle referred questions about FCC enforcement to another agency department. Calls to that department were not returned Wednesday.

How To Turn an FM Transmitter into a Micro Pirate Radio

— Mathew Honan

Corporate radio is preprogrammed junk. But don’t curse the DJ; seize the airwaves! With a soldering iron and a cheapo FM transmitter — the kind used to play an iPod through a car radio — you can transform your humble Honda into a Radio Free Civic that can broadcast your tunes up to 100 feet.

1. Pry open the transmitter’s case with a putty knife and remove the internal antenna (often labeled ant).

2. In its place, solder a telescoping antenna or a piece of copper wire — no more than 35 inches long for broadcasting within the standard FM transmission spectrum.

3. The transmitter may have a resistor, typically marked with an r, to limit the power of the signal. Replace it with copper wire to boost the transmission.

For years, Bakersfield residents Jake Chavez and Greg Looney have kept one step ahead of broadcast regulators with their "pirate radio" stations -- low-wattage broadcasts operating without a license. Now the pair are making it legal with a fully licensed station they hope will be on the air within the year.

Chavez and Looney met some 20 years ago, when both worked at KBCC, the cable-access radio station that used to operate at Bakersfield College.

"When KBCC got canceled, all of us were left hanging, wanting to do something," Looney said.

Looney said that "something" included operating a number of pirate stations and an Internet radio operation, all of which were shut down by the FCC. The two have also had day jobs -- Chavez has worked at American Fabrication for the last 15 years, and operated Downtown Records for seven years until selling it 15 months ago. Looney works as a bartender in Bakersfield.

Chavez said the inspiration for starting the station came from a representative of the Common Frequency Project, a non-profit group out of Davis that promotes community radio stations, community activism and a non-commercial, eclectic mix of music. Chavez said the representative came into his record store looking for someone who might be interested in applying for a station. "He found the right guy," Chavez said.

Chavez said he and Looney applied three years ago, after the FCC opened up a small number of new stations under the NCE and low-power FM categories. "There wasn't much space on the dial in Bakersfield," Chavez said.

On Nov. 5, the Federal Communications Commission awarded the pair a construction permit to build KSVG, a 180-watt FM station, in Mettler. Chavez and Looney have three years from that date to be broadcast-ready with a format usually described as "freeform" radio.

"We're going to be a cool college radio station," Chavez said. The station is to broadcast on 89.9 FM, part of the non-commercial education band (NCE) that typically includes public radio stations such as KVPR. According to Chavez, a community station can broadcast music, but has some other requirements. "We have to supply some educational programming, get students involved," Chavez said. Chavez said Common Frequency set him up with Bay Area FCC attorney Michael Couzens and Portland, Ore., engineer Michael Brown to assist with the initial application. Chavez and Looney also teamed up with The Empty Space theater group, which has a 501c3 designation, a requirement for the application."They've been really good to us," Chavez said, adding that control of the project will soon be transferred to the station's own 501c3, Kern Community Radio, Inc. Chavez estimates he needs around $100,000 to build the station, half of which he hopes will come from a grant from the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program. His business plan anticipates ongoing support from corporate sponsorships. Starting a radio station from scratch -- even a low-wattage station -- seems like a big risk in an economic climate that isn't friendly to any type of business, let alone a business that faces game-altering competition. Jake Chavez and Greg Looney need to raise about $100,000 to get their tower built and broadcast equipment installed and operational. Chavez said he got the figure from a quotation given him by Harris Broadcast Services, which estimates $91,203.64 for the transmitter, antenna, broadcast equipment, transmission lines and other equipment. Chavez said he plans to raise the money through grants, corporate sponsorships, even such grass-roots fundraisers as car washes.

All the news the big outlets would rather you didn’t get... in a handy RSS feed

feed://conspiringtimes.com/news/?feed=rss

THE MILITARY IS KILLING HAWAII

http://www.newpacificvoice.com/du/

Check out my youtube videos

http://www.youtube.com (search for CAPTAINFRED999)

AMPB REPORT

record chart for the week ending march 13, 2010

#TITLE - ARTIST - LABEL

1GLITTER AND DOOM LIVE-TOM WAITS-ANTI

2I'M NEW HERE-GIL SCOTT-HERON-XL

3ESTE MUNDO-RUPA & THE APRIL FISHES-CUMBANCHA

430 YEARS OUTSIDE THE BOX-YO-YO MA-SONY

5BAIONARENA-MANU CHAO-NACIONAL

6NEW WORLD FLAMENCO-TIERRA NEGRA-CGD MUSIC

7HANK WILLIAMS DIED...-JOE SWANK & THE ZEN PIRATES-(INDY)

8SOLDIER OF LOVE-SADE-SONY

9BORDERS Y BAILES-LOS TEXMANIACS-SMITHSONIAN

10IMAGINARY TELEVISION-GRAHAM PARKER-BLOODSHOT

11PUTUMAYO PRESENTS ESPANA-VARIOUS ARTISTS-PUTUMAYO

12(SELF TITLED)-PROJECT TRIO-(SELF-PRODUCED)

13THE SECRET SONG-DJ SPOOKY-THIRSTY EAR

14THE MELODY OF RHYTHM-BELA FLECK & FRIENDS-E1

15THE LIVE ANTHOLOGY-TOM PETTY-REPRISE

16KARAM-KIMI DJABATE-CUMBANCHA

17FOR ROSA, MAEVE AND NOREEN-SAMUEL JAMES-NORTHERN BLUES

18COMMON PROSPERITY-PREZIDENT BROWN-TOMORROW'S CHILDREN

19TIME FOR THREE-FERVENT TRAVELERS-E1

20VAMPIRE-GREENSKEEPERS-OM

21THE RESISTANCE-MUSE-WARNER BROS.

22GOD'S FAVORITE BAND-ASYLUM STREET SPANKERS-YELLOW DOG

23PUTUMAYO PRESENTS JAZZ AROUND THE WORLD-PUTUMAYO

24COMING BACK FOR YOU-PRESSURE-RYMSHOT

25DREAMIN' MAN LIVE-NEIL YOUNG-REPRISE

26WAKKA CHIKKA WAKKA CHIKKA-VARIOUS ARTISTS-(INDY)

27YA FOY!-SARAZINO-CUMBANCHA

28BUSHROCK-10 FT. GANJA PLANT-ROIR

29(SELF TITLED)-STREET SWEEPER SOCIAL CLUB-S.S.S.C.

30PIANO SONATAS...-SUSAN KAGAN-NAXOS

31IGNORE THE IGNORANT-THE CRIBS-WARNER BROS.

32THE CRICKET'S ORCHESTRA-MEAGHAN SMITH-SIRE

33THE ROUGH GUIDE TO AFRICAN STREET PARTY-WORLD MUSIC NET

34CALLING ALL DAWNS-CHRISTOPHER TIN-(INDY)

35THE NIGHTINGALE IN LOVE-ROBERT STALLMAN-BOGNER'S CAFE

36ZEBU NATION-RAZIA-CUMBANCHA

37SAN PATRICIO-THE CHIEFTAINS-BLACKROCK

38LIVE AT MAUCH CHUNK-WAILIN’ JENNYS-RED HOUSE

39PLASTIC BEACH-GORILLAZ-EMI

40MIDNIGHT AT THE MOVIES-JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE-BLOODSHOT

CAPTAIN FRED’S WORLD CRUISE #95

this show can be downloaded from:

radio4all.net or archive.org

Taxman-Stevie Ray Vaughan

Yoyoyo-Razia

White Flag-Gorillaz

Soldier of Love-Sade

La Iguana-The Chieftains

One Big World-Sarazino

Lucky Day-Tom Waits

Ntolilo-Massukos

Pasapeanas-BIella Nuei

Multiphonic-DJ Spooky

Me and the Devil-Gil Scott-Heron

More Questions Than Answers-Graham Parker

Love Conquers All-Pressure

Allegretto Scherzando-Susan Kagan

Volkswagen Thing-Asylum Street Spankers

Este Mundo-Rupa & The April Fishes

El Troquero-Los Texmaniacs

Djombé-Kimi Djabaté

Volver, Volver-Manu Chao

Motherless Child-Wailin' Jennys

Kia Hora Te Marino-Christopher Tin

AMPB REPORT#95

A PUBLICATION BY THE ASSOCIATION

OF MICRO-POWER BROADCASTERS

AMPB

PMB 22

2018 SHATTUCK AVE.

BERKELEY, CA 94704

ampb@att.net

Special note for my readers:

I’m still unemployed and looking for work. I have experience as a warehouse manager, retail store assistant, radio dj, editor, painter, audio technician and recently learned how to do electrical work. If you know someone in the San Francisco Bay area, who might need my services, please won’t you put them in contact with me? Thanks!

If you feel you have received this email by mistake, simply reply with the word “REMOVE” in the subject area and we’ll take you off the list. We don’t mean to be a bother. Thanks for reading!